Video of The Day: Hello June – Sometimes

In an industry often saturated with formulaic hits and fleeting trends, Hello June stands as a refreshing gust of authenticity with their third single — ‘Sometimes’ — from the forthcoming album ‘Artifacts’. This indie-rock quartet hailing from Charleston, West Virginia, continues to carve their niche in the contemporary music scene with a sound that’s both hauntingly introspective and irresistibly groovy.

‘Sometimes’ opens with a mesmerizing guitar riff that immediately draws the listener into its melancholic embrace. The hauntingly beautiful vocals of frontwoman Sarah Rudy take center stage, carrying a raw emotional weight that’s impossible to ignore. Rudy’s voice, reminiscent of rock legends like PJ Harvey and Patti Smith, is both vulnerable and powerful, perfectly encapsulating the lyrical themes of introspection and self-discovery.

Lyrically, the song delves deep into the complexities of human existence and the ever-present battle between light and darkness within us. Lines like “Sometimes you want to cry / Sometimes you just can’t” resonate with universal truths, offering a lyrical depth that transcends the confines of typical rock fare. What we say and how we say it matters.

Musically, Hello June showcases their mastery of dynamics, seamlessly transitioning between hauntingly atmospheric verses and explosive, anthemic choruses. Artifacts, which comes out on October 6th on 31 Tiger Records, was recorded in Nashville at Bell Tone Recording with producer Roger Alan Nichols, featuring Rudy on vocals and guitar, Paul Niehaus on pedal steel (Calexico, Iron & Wine, Justin Townes Earle, Lambchop), Caleb Crosby on drums and percussion (Larkin Poe, Noah Gundersen), and Nichols on guitar (The Veronicas, Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown). The rhythm and swing of the song, anchored by drummer Caleb Crosby provide a solid foundation for the soaring guitar work of Rudy and Nichols punctuated by the dreamy pedal steel of Niehaus, all combining to create a sonic landscape that’s both captivating and emotionally charged.

‘Sometimes’ is a song that grows with each listen, revealing hidden layers and nuances that make it a standout track in Hello June’s body of work. It’s a testament to the band’s evolving artistry and their commitment to creating music that speaks to the human experience without feeling academic or false.

In an era when authenticity and genuine emotion often take a backseat to commercialism, Hello June’s “Sometimes” reminds us that there are still artists out there who are unafraid to bare their souls through their music. With its haunting melodies and introspective lyrics, this track solidifies Hello June as a band to explore and appreciate for anyone who loves a great song.

In “Sometimes,” Hello June has not only delivered a remarkable song but also a profound emotional journey that lingers long after the final notes fade. It’s a testament to the enduring power of rock and the boundless potential of this group. Keep an eye on Hello June; they’re poised to make waves in the music world.

Hello June on Bandcamp
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Glide Premier of ‘Honey I Promise’

Video of the Day: Librarians With Hickeys – ‘Can’t Wait ‘Till Summer’

Those marvelous melodic maestros in Librarians With Hickeys are back at it with a song that speaks the truth about how much we tire of the cold! Bring on the Summer, indeed! This fun music video for “Can’t Wait ‘Till Summer” evokes The Psychedelic Furs, English Beat, and Let’s Active. The band has a gift for borrowing from their influences and creating a sound that is fresh. If you, like us, are a sucker for shimmering, ringing guitars then you need to explore this band’s discography. ‘CWTS’ is the group’s latest single from the terrific album “Handclaps & Tambourines” available and streaming everywhere from the fine folks at Big Stir Records!

Today on YTAA

Tuesdays are our favorite days! Radio day!

Tons of new music. Some indie classics. We love radio day. Today we are spotlighting music from Nicholas Johnson, Kim Ware, Bottlecap Mountain, and Nick Kizirnis!

The set list includes songs from our good pal Nicholas Johnson, High on Stress (from Minneapolis, MN), Kim Ware, Librarians with Hickeys (Ohio by way of Big Stir Records), BAILEN, ODESZA, Panic Pocket, Connections (from Columbus, Ohio), POPSICKO (seriously Big Stir records roster is an impressive lineup of great indie powerpop), Iguana Death Cult, Unkown Mortal Orchestra, ALIENS, The Band of Heathens, Bottlecap Mountain, James, Genevieve Artadi, The Speedways, The 1984 Draft (Dayton, Ohio), M83, The Housemartins, Daughter, Nick Kizirnis (Dayton, Ohio), Phoenix, Beach Bunny, The Connells, Greg Dulli, Achilles Tenderloin, Steady Holiday, Let’s Active, Nicole Yun, The Tisburys and The Replacements.

We will be chatting about some exciting shows on the horizon from Nicholas Johnson, The Pinkerton Raid, Age Nowhere, Bottlecap Mountain, and more happening in our hometown of Dayton, Ohio.

Listen along from 3-6pm on WUDR Flyer Radio

Video of The Day: Quiet Signals – Quiet Signals

Quiet Signals is Dayton Musician, Guitarist, and accomplished songwriter Nick Kizirnis has joined forces with Lung‘s Kate Wakefield for a lovely and haunting collaboration on guitar and cello. The instrumental music is dreamy, swirling, and yet gentle with an embrace of familiarity and kinship. The song takes an unexpected turn around a little before the four-minute mark and feels heavy, sinister burdened with dark intent that the listener was not expecting in the previous three minutes. The song ends on an aural cliffhanger leaving the journey unresolved.

Clearly, the duo’s previous work on KizirnisThe Distance, while quite different than the current project, has allowed these two gifted musicians to generate their own sonic language. And Quiet Signals is in so many ways soft and tumultuous. We look forward to more music from them in the future.

Nick Kizirnis – guitar
Kate Wakefield – cello

from the album “Quiet Signals” released February 17, 2023.
Nick Kizirnis/Nicky Kay Music BMI

@NickKizirnis (YouTube channel)
@katewakefield1637 (YouTube channel)

https://quietsignals.bandcamp.com
https://nickkizirnis.bandcamp.com
https://katewakefield.bandcamp.com
https://lunglunglung.bandcamp.com

Video of The Day: Steady Holiday – The Balance

Dre Babinski’s solo project Steady Holiday has a new album, her fourth, Newfound Oxygen coming out on February 17, 2023. She has been making captivating ethereal and yet down-to-earth shimmering chamber pop since her 2016 debut, Under The Influence. 2018’s Nobody’s Watching explored socio-political unrest with a fragile vulnerability that is equal parts wide-eyed concern and personal reflection.

The first single from Newfound Oxygen, The Balance, has a sound that imagines a deeply personal and yet communal emotion mixing The National, Fleetwood Mac, and Camera Obscura in a melody that calls on classic pop music signatures. Cannot wait for the whole album.

You can connect with Dre on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and her website.

Cool Show Alert! The 1984 Draft always Best Friends Forever

We have good news for you Music Friends!

The new year begins with all of the vibrancy of a guitar on overload! And that is because the latest full-length album from the power-pop-punk of the Joe Anderl-led The 1984 Draft arrives this week on January 19th! The Dayton quartet’s latest record will remind you that music does still matter and perhaps it means even more today. The new album combines the urgency of The Smoking Popes with the intensity of Bob Mould’s post-Husker Du project, Sugar, thrown headlong into the pure and direct heartbreak of The Replacements. The Draft plays every song like their lives depend on it.

The first two singles await your listening pleasure now via streaming!

The new record comes our way courtesy of the fine music-loving folks at Dayton, Ohio-based Poptek Records with assistance from Sell the Heart Records and Engineer Records (in the UK and EU). You can order the 12″ vinyl now or get a copy at the big record-release show in Dayton on January 20 at the legendary Yellow Cab Tavern. And we highly recommend that you go to the concert!

And speaking of that show, The Draft has invited friends and sonic heroes like Josh Caterer (Smoking Popes), Paige Beller, Shane Sweeney (Two Cow Garage), Josh Goldman (The Raging Nathans), Narrow/Arrow, Abiyah, and Josh Arnold to play the record release celebration. Best friends forever, indeed!

Time is running out to make your plans! But today is your lucky day because we are here to help! You can scoop up your advance tickets now and save $5 off the admission to the Yellow Cab Tavern in Dayton by grabbing that ticket a few days before the big show. Be a friend of The Draft and get a ticket now.

Video of The Day: Smug Brothers – Pablo Icarus

Ohio rock band Smug Brothers is a collection of contradictions.

The members are neither smug nor brothers, and the caddish name poorly fits these serious, veteran musicians. Furthermore, Smug Brothers could very well be your favorite rock band, especially if you love the pop virility of the Beatles, the lyrical bafflement of Guided by Voices, and the beautiful shambles of Big Star—but you may never know, because you may never see them or hear them.

Take a nap, Schrödinger’s cat. This here is a real paradox.“We’ve been doing this for 20 years,” says Smug Brothers singer and guitarist Kyle Melton, “and no one knows who we are.”One of the reasons for this is the fact that due to real-life responsibilities and a shifting lineup on Spinal Tap proportions, the band rarely performs live.

“You have to tour to make any kind of headway [in the music business],” explains drummer Don Thrasher. “You can’t just play Dayton, Cincinnati, and a few other places and get famous. Any group that has ‘made’ it has had to hit the road and play anywhere they can.”

And then, when the group does perform live, there’s an exciting yet mystifying dimension of difference between the live sound and the recorded material.“A lot of bands today are really, really good at replicating their studio sound in a live setting,” Melton says. “That eludes us. We thrive in a more controlled environment.”

Not surprising for a group that began, way back in 2004, as a one-off studio project between Melton and Dayton musician and producer Darryl Robbins (Peopleperson, TV Queens). It was only with the addition of drummer Don Thrasher, in early 2008, that the Smug Brothers became, to paraphrase Pinocchio, a real band.

Since then, Melton and Thrasher have held down a steady center among a revolving cast of additional musicians—the current lineup includes Kyle Sowash, from Columbus indie-rock stalwarts The Kyle Sowashes, on bass—and have released a series of ever-improving singles, EPs, and LPs. The band’s most recent album, Application of the Twig, is the season of spring distilled into a porch party soundtrack. Brisk and refreshing.

“While we’re not well-known,” says Thrasher, “we make well-done records. We provide a good listening experience for people who like short, catchy songs.” Melton agrees. “A lot of care and consideration goes into our albums. They are singular experiences that you will never see duplicated live.”

All of which brings the Smug Brothers’ quandary full circle. To get a better sense of the elusive Smug Brothers sound, please visit smugbrothers.bandcamp.com! Do it!

Rob Perry Best of 2022

Every year we ask some of our music friends to share some of their thoughts on some of the albums/singles that were released in the past year.

Our good friend, fellow Connells fan, thoughtful social media user, and one of the most ardent new music fans Rob Perry agreed to share his thoughts about new music from the past year.

2022, for me, has been a year in that I got to get back out into the live music scene a bit and enjoy a lot of great music released by my favorite artists and some new ones, too.  I saw wildly enthusiastic live shows by Superchunk and Built To Spill (both with new albums this year) and more subdued ones like Waxahatchee and Sharon Silva.

As far as this year’s album releases go, here are five of my favorites.  All are records that I find easy to put on the turntable and enjoy from front to back.

Archers of Loaf – Reason in Decline … their first new album in over two decades was highly anticipated by long-time fans. But this record doesn’t have the signature noisy gnarl of the early releases. This is a band, seemingly now with a different sense of purpose. When I listen to this album I hear impeccably crafted songs, still distorted but looking more positively at our ever-changing world.

Favorite track: “Mama Was a War Profiteer

Tess Parks – And Those Who Were Seen Dancing … Here’s another record that’s been a long time coming. When released, it had been almost 10 years since Park’s last album “Blood Hot”. On this one, her ethereal vocals, mixed with sonic influences of Oasis, Patti Smith, and Primal Scream provide a nicely wrapped feeling of 90s nostalgia. Drop the needle on this and let your psyche explore it all.

Favorite track: “Do You Pray?

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Endless Rooms … This is the group’s third long play and it highlights their consistency and creative growth. What I love about this band and album is the incredible combination of songwriting skill layered intricately into their three-guitar interplay. There seems to be an ego-free vibe among the six-stringers Joe Russo, Joe White, and Fran Keaney. While this release doesn’t use the same template as the band’s debut “Hope Downs” it does expand on the definition of what a great Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever record can be.

Favorite track: “Open Up Your Window

Yumi Zouma – Present Tense … The New Zealand quartet’s fourth album is a subtle shift from their previous records. While it’s still shimmering Dream Pop, this release hints at moving a bit towards mid-80s Fleetwood Mac or Hall & Oates. The band has done a great job of weaving a variety of textures into the songs on this record. “Present Tense” has a little something for almost everyone and listening will most certainly augment your mood.

Favorite track: “Mona Lisa

Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa … In February, one of my favorite bands “finally” released their latest record after five long years. As their music always seems to be evolving, I wasn’t sure what the signature album sound might be. For me, the edgy-riffed “The Hardest Cut” definitely sets the tone but all of the tunes have a roughhewn and sparsely produced feel. The record sounds like it could have been recorded live in your living room. As usual from Britt Daniel, there’s excellent songwriting and a nice mix of tempo.

Favorite track: “Wild

We want to express our gratitude to Rob for taking the time to write one of these reviews.

Video of The Day: Matt Derda & The High Watts

Matt Derda & The High Watts are making some of the most compelling music in a year full of great music! The video is their official music video for ‘Life You Didn’t Know.’ This is the latest single from the Chicago band’s upcoming EP ‘You Didn’t Know?‘ which came out on 11/12/2022.

‘You Didn’t Know?’ from Matt Derda & The High Watts is a picture postcard from a pure sonic territory that reflects the intersection of indie rock, power pop, and alt-country. The semi-title track ‘Life You Didn’t Know’ feels like a driving Replacements song from ‘Pleased to Meet Me’ written by Uncle Tupelo era Jeff Tweedy. Derda’s lead vocal is always spot-on. This is a mighty trio that tackles the feel of each song as if their lives depended upon it.

Some new music from Tino…

New music from Dayton-based rapper and songwriter Tino is out. This is good news for anyone interested in passionate music that speaks to our souls. Tino’s flow and syncopation are otherworldly. He is able to make a song that speaks to the human spirit and uplift the listener.

Do not miss his new music. And if you are in the Dayton area today you can catch his show tonight at Yellow Cab Tavern as he shares his latest music.

Video of The Day: Paul J. Monnin – No One Cares

Our friend Paul Monin of Age Nowhere and Neo American Pioneers has a solo single ‘No One Cares.’ The video is an interesting take on the ideas in the lyrics. It also has a silly appearance from YTAA’s own Dr. J. Paul has written a song that asks the listener to stop and look around themselves and ask what matters and what we are focusing our attention upon. You can get more information from: https://linktr.ee/pauljmonnin.

Rich Reuter on YTAA!

Dayton musician, songwriter, guitarist and producer Rich Reuter joined D. J on Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative on March 22, 2022 in Dayton, Ohio on WUDR Flyer Radio at The University of Dayton. He played live and chatted about his recent music, new EP ‘Endless Parade‘, his work on Nicholas Johnson’s Back Upstate record and his work on his next full length ‘The Captain II’. You can discover his music at bandcamp. We discussed his approach to songwriting, production and performing the music.

You can follow Rich on social media. He is on Twitter and Instagram! You can listen to Rich’s music at Soundcloud! And Spotify: